Conspired to Steal Prescription Drugs from Federal Military Hospitals and Possessed with Intent to Distribute More Than 100 Kilograms of Marijuana
U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Daniel Mark Wilkerson, 45, of Fort Washington, Maryland to 66 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, and in a separate case for conspiring to steal prescription drugs from federal military hospitals. Judge Grimm also ordered that Wilkerson pay restitution of $4,450,679.60, and forfeit $16,320.44.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Robert Craig of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service – Mid‑Atlantic Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Mark S. McCormack of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations-Metro Washington Field Office.
Wilkerson admitted that from January 2008 to June 11, 2013, he conspired with Rodger Gurdon, Issa Wasco Koroma, and others to steal Norditropon, Humatrope, Somatotropin, Botox and other branded varieties of human growth hormone from pharmacies located at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital in Fort Belvoir, Virginia; Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (Walter Reed) in Bethesda, Maryland; and the former Walter Reed Medical Center (Old Walter Reed) in Washington, D.C. They re-sold the stolen pharmaceuticals for profit.
From January 2008 through June 2013, Koroma was a pharmacy technician at Walter Reed. Beginning no later than the middle of 2011, Koroma began to steal brands of human growth hormones and Botox from the pharmacy at Walter Reed at Gurdon’s request. Koroma met with Gurdon on a regular basis to exchange the drugs for payment from Gurdon. Gurdon then distributed the drugs to Wilkerson. From August 2011 to June 2013, Koroma and Gurdon stole over $1.3 million worth of pharmaceuticals from the pharmacy at Walter Reed.
Wilkerson shipped the stolen HGH and Botox to individuals in California, who paid Wilkerson by cash that was mailed to him from California, as well as by wire transfers from a bank in Mexico.
The total loss to the United States caused by Wilkerson, Gurdon, and Koroma was at least $4,467,000.
According to Wilkerson’s plea agreement in a second and unrelated case, on August 11, 2017, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant for a crate that had been shipped from California to a business in Baltimore and discovered 384 pounds (174 kilograms) of marijuana, worth more than $1 million. Undercover officers conducted surveillance at the business in an effort to determine the identity of the person to whom the crate had been sent. During their surveillance, Wilkerson, who was driving a red Hyundai, was seen driving in the vicinity of the business, and at one point, got out of his car and asked an officer if he was an employee at the business. Later that day, the crate containing the marijuana was claimed by a man who arrived at the business in a pick-up truck with two other men. The crate was placed into the truck and the men left the business, followed by law enforcement. Officers stopped the vehicle, detained the men, and seized the crate containing the marijuana. At the same time, another officer stopped Wilkerson, who was driving his Hyundai nearby. Wilkerson admitted that the crate of marijuana was his and that he had hired the individuals to assist him in picking-up and transporting the crate.
Roger George Gurdon pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal government property, interstate receipt of stolen property, and conspiracy to distribute marijuana, and was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison. Issa Wasco Koroma, age 62, of Springdale, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal government property and theft of medical products and was sentenced to five years in prison.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur praised the DCIS and FDA-OCI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant United States Attorney Thomas P. Windom, who prosecuted the case.
